Deer tests positive for CWD outside zone

Deer was outside CWD management zone in Grant County

A deer from outside the boundary of the chronic wasting disease management zone in Grant County has tested positive for the disease.

The 2.5 year old buck was killed and registered Nov. 18, according to a Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources news release.

"It's disappointing but not unexpected to have a CWD-positive outside the current zone boundary. This is why we have focused surveillance around the fringes of the CWD management zone, to better understand the distribution of the disease and identify the presence of the disease in periphery areas," said Don Bates, DNR area wildlife supervisor, in the release.

The CWD-positive deer was harvested near the center of the county about 6.5 miles from the border of the CWD management zone and about eight miles from the nearest positive.

This is the second year that DNR has focused surveillance around the boundaries of the existing CWD management zone. Sampling of deer is voluntary in these areas and in Grant County, DNR partners with taxidermists to collect samples.

The DNR said this sampling result does not change any remaining hunting seasons nor does it change the current CWD management zone boundary. Baiting and feeding of deer is already banned in the county and will continue to be illegal, the DNR said.

Copyright 2012 by Channel 3000. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.